pected no other answer, as I informed Mr. Brink (the General's
second secretary), who had brought me the letter. He was gravely
apologetic, and informed me the General and Commandant were holding a
Kriegsraad early on the following morning, when my case would receive
their full consideration. In the afternoon we had the excitement of
seeing the Pretoria coach drive up to the laager with much horn-blowing
and whip-cracking. Later some newspapers were brought across, and I was
able actually to peruse a Transvaal paper only two days old. The
General's other secretary, who presented them to me, made some
astounding statements, which he said had just come up on official
wires--namely, that England and Russia would be at war before that very
week was out, in what locality he did not know; and that Germany had
suddenly increased her fleet by many ships, spending thereon
L10,000,000. To this I ventured to remark that the building of those
ships would take four or five years, which would make it almost too late
to assist the Transvaal in the present war. I also reminded him casually
that Germany's Emperor and Empress were, according to their own papers,
then paying a visit to Queen Victoria, which did not look as if that
country was exactly unfriendly to England. To this he had nothing to
reply, and I saw that this imperial visit was a sore subject with my
entertainers. For this reason I made a point of referring to it on every
possible occasion. As I was eating my solitary supper, Mr. Brink
appeared with a letter from Colonel Baden-Powell as follows:

"_December 5, 1899._

"DEAR LADY SARAH,

"I am so distressed about you. You must have been having an
awful time of it, and I can't help feeling very much to blame;
but I had hoped to save you the unpleasantness of the siege.

"However, I trust now that your troubles are nearly over at
last, and that General Snyman will pass you in here.

"We are all very well, and really rather enjoying it all.

"I wrote last night asking for you to be exchanged for Mrs.
Delpoort, but had no answer, so have written again to-day, and
sincerely hope it will be all right.

"Hope you are well, in spite of your troubles.

"Yours sincerely,

"R. BADEN-POWELL."

I then learnt from another letter that Mrs. Delpoort, who had originally
expressed the wish to leave Mafeking, where she was residing with many
other friends in